The Aeros Region, found in the center of the continent. Across this vast plain that had once belonged to the Terean Empire there moved a bizarre band of people—a convoy of large trucks and many motorbikes. The two trucks driving at the center of the convoy had a number of spears sticking out of them, a battle standard depicting an eagle fluttering from the head of each one. The sides of each truck were painted with a motif of scenes taken from mythology that told the history of Redguard.
A portion of the bikes defending the trucks with these divine decorations had been remodeled in the same fashion, with warriors of the Halberd Brigade now astride them. The remaining bikes retained their original appearance as glossy, jet-black, functional machines—but the Reincarnator Blusterer, not wishing to be outdone by the men of the brigade, had carved such gallant phrases as “Good morning, Death!”, “Break away from the flock,” and “Ride for death, ride for love” onto his own bike using his native script.
Occasionally, words were exchanged amongst this mixed battle formation of Tereans and Reincarnators. “...So, at that moment, I had this realization. Being a street racer and avoiding the cops all the time just wasn’t right. My goal was always to become a legend—to be known as the Wind of the Capital City Expressway, you know...”
“Nice! That’s incredible. I absolutely get it, Blusterer old pal. After all, it was because I wanted to see myths unfold with my own eyes that I started following Steel-Link...” mused Rick Wake.
Four days had passed since the castle of Krios started moving. As they pursued the castle, which advanced southward both by walking and jumping through space, a strange sort of friendship had started to build among some of the former enemies in the band. Dill, however, maintained a grim expression as he rode at the head of the formation.
An unadorned bike approached Dill from behind. It was ridden by the Reincarnator Repeater. “Can you see anything from here?” she asked, apparently an attempt at small talk. Dill relaxed his arms and legs, which he had furtively kept tensed, and answered.
“No, nothing.”
“Is that right?” Repeater carried on riding next to Dill without asking for permission. Apparently the conversation was not yet over. Dill couldn’t read Repeater’s expression. Her head was protected by a full-face helmet, the mirrored visor lifelessly reflecting the light from her surroundings.
“What do you want?” asked Dill, without looking at Repeater. His voice lacked any type of emotion.
Repeater answered. “I was surprised. To learn that you were the one known as Aegisthus, I mean.”
“I’m honored to hear that I was so famous. But from the moment you people showed up, my activities as Aegisthus were put entirely on hold.”
“Even though you may not have uttered the name, the people of Terea spread it around by themselves. ‘Aegisthus will avenge us.’ ‘The hero will surely return.’ Even the people of the New Terean Republic, who showed the Reinarnators compliance...deep down, they’re waiting for Aegisthus. They’ll probably say that they were only accepting our rule until Aegisthus came to lead the uprising. I don’t care for people who do nothing but act obedient, you know.”
“Hope is essential for everyone.” My hope was Iris. Dill swallowed those words. Although it may have been temporary, at the moment he had formed an alliance with the Reincarnators. He didn’t want to make waves. Repeater, however, was persistent.
“But because that hope exists, the war between Redguard and the Reincarnators has been prolonged unnecessarily. Steel-Link—no, Aegisthus. Appeal to the people. Have them surrender. You have the power to bring this war to an end.”
No wave of emotion rose in Dill’s heart. He didn’t seek to argue against Repeater’s self-righteous overtures. What good would that do? “I tend to think that it’s not yet time to consider such things. The enemy before us is Prodotis. If we debate sensitive issues now, our alliance will only fall apart.”
“All the more reason, then. Do you really think we can trust each other based on a temporary truce, just because a common enemy has emerged?”
“Holding our mutual benefit to be supreme, we have made a trade using trust instead of coin. I should have thought that way of doing things was closest to the utilitarian ideals you Reincarnators espouse.” Although Dill made every effort to suppress his emotions, his words were accompanied by a subtle sting.
Underneath her helmet, Repeater seemed to be disgruntled. Her dissatisfaction was audible in her voice. “I’m not a merchant. If you think Reincarnators are all the same, that’s regrettable. To me, trust is justice.”
You, a Reincarnator, speak of justice, of all things? You people, who stole Iris from me. Thinking that made the next words out of Repeater’s mouth all the more shocking.
“Steel-Link, I...I want to put my trust in you. You have already fought side by side with Rei, a Reincarnator. You who, after seeing your daughter killed, must hate us more than anyone. There must be a way for us to live together. I’d like to try and find that potential by working with you.”
“...A way for the conquerors to live together with the conquered. So we might have a future together, as slaves and masters?”
“Not what I meant. Didn’t I already tell you that trust is justice? War is a truly barbaric act. There is also the path of competing with Reincarnators—in science, economics, and the development of our civilization. A more admirable sort of battle which doesn’t stray from the righteous path. If you attain a cultural victory, fair and square, surely we Reincarnators will no longer be able to look down on you.”
“So in order to stop the fighting, you’d like to have Aegisthus command the people. Is that right?” After a short silence, Dill raised his head. “...Repeater. What you say sounds reasonable on its face. But it is based on your own logic as conquerors. You speak of fighting fair and square, but what you propose isn’t fair in the slightest. It assumes that we, as Tereans, will ultimately be assimilated into your culture.”
“Of course. That is what we call Enlightenment. We want to educate you and improve you...”
“Isn’t that very idea the most damning proof that you look down on Redguard as uncivilized and refuse to understand us? You claim to want to treat us as equals, and yet you do not accept our differences and try to push your own values onto us?”